Pride
by Blaze Moonlight
Summary: Pride is a dangerous thing.


"Everybody, look what I've got," murmured Chix, beckoning to the L.E.P junior members nearest him. He pulled out a shiny two litre bottle from his bag and grinned arrogantly, muttering "This is holy water. Who dares me to drink a drop?"

Nobody said anything until Ash burst out laughing, "A drop! Any of us could do that, we were all jabbed against it when we were kids, we're all immune - I could drink that all day and be fine. Moron."

Most of the others laughed and joined in taunting Chix about how a drop was nothing until finally he snapped, "FINE!" he yelled, "I dare one of you to drink the whole bottle. How about … Short."

Everyone gaped at him but then began yelling.

"Go on Short!"

"You can do it Holly!"

Holly frowned, "I – I don't…"

"Maybe she's chicken."

"Yeah, I bet my phone she can't do it."

"Well I bet mine she can," replied Trouble, giving Holly an encouraging smile. Holly shook her head gently but he just grinned at her in reply.

Nervously Holly took the bottle off Chix and raised it to her lips, letting a drop trickle into her mouth. It scolded her throat and made her feel weak and queasy, she stumbled over, Trouble grabbed her hand and pulled her up again but he looked disappointed and she was sure she heard him whisper 'weak'. "Ha!" someone, a pixie, laughed, "She can't drink even a drop of it despite the help of immunity because she's just a girl, how feeble. Hand over the phone Kelp."

Holly glared at the pixie and raised the bottle, taking a huge swig of the holy water, trying to ignore the searing pain. She glanced around, they were all still sneering at her, and Trouble still looked like he thought she couldn't do it. The bottle wasn't even half empty yet; Holly steeled her self and took another gulp. The pain was becoming unbearable, but her pride was on the line now so she just took another swallow, and another, the bottle wasn't empty though. She had downed just over half of the bottle but she couldn't give up, Trouble had believed she could do it and she would prove him right. Her vision was blurring but she wouldn't let it show, she stood tall, a defiant smirk on her face. She would do it and she wouldn't let them know it was difficult for her. There were only a few drops left in the bottle, she couldn't breath, she had to prove herself, she wouldn't let it show – she was strong. The last few drops trickled down her throat. Everything went black and she tumbled backwards.

Honestly, after her first sip I didn't think she could do it. She nearly collapsed; she was just weak because every fairy under the earth had been given the immunisation to make holy water perfectly safe and drinkable. Everyone was laughing at her, it was a bit wimpy, she saw though, I could tell from the look in her eyes and I felt kind of guilty. She seemed okay after the first sip, perhaps a little shaky but she drank it alright, perhaps her collapse was because it tasted dodgy, it would be just like Chix to get dodgy holy water. It didn't take her long to drink it; she was on her last few drops. Going, going, gone! My first thought was that I now had two phones, and then I glanced to Holly - just in time to see her fall to the floor. Of course if that wasn't bad enough Root picked the same moment to walk into the room.

"WHAT IS GOING ON!" he yelled, "WHY IS SHORT ON THE FLOOR?!"

Nobody said anything for several agonizing seconds, the Chix spoke, "She drank two litres of holy water, sir."

I expected the commander to turn purple and start yelling, but instead, for the first time ever, he was sheet white. He flipped a communicator out of his pocket and speed dialled a number, "I need a full team of medics in the police plaza cafeteria, no I will not have to wait. I SAID NOW!"

Everyone was confused, Ash stepped forward, "With all due respect sir, isn't that a bit over the top, and after all she must have had the jab that stops it."

Root growled, "No, it is not 'over the top' private, Short didn't have the jab, she's intolerant to the jabs main component."

We'd all been talking amongst ourselves before he'd said that, that silenced us. Chix passed out and I was in shock, a good few of us probably were. Without the jab even a few drops were agonising, quarter of a litre could become deadly serious within minuets but anything over half a litre without something to block it usually meant death, sometimes instant. We were fully trained L.E.P agents and didn't scare easily but the death of a friend because we decided to act like morons, that was something no amount of training could make easier.

The medical team hadn't shown up, Holly's magic would have worn out within seconds of her first sip, in theory she should be dead by now, but, by frond, she's opening her eyes. That isn't possible, I need reassurance that I'm seeing things so I tap Ash on the shoulder and point at Holly, and whisper, "Tell me I'm seeing things and she isn't conscious."

Ash glances at her and falls over onto Chix, I must have been right. There is no possible way she could be alive, let alone conscious. She opens her mouth and says one word, "D'arvit."

I slip down to the floor, the others are around me forming a circle, and we all feel guilty. The chances of her survival are next to none and it's our fault.

"I shouldn't have dared you," muttered Chix, he'd come round when Ash fell on him.

The pixie who had called her feeble nodded, "You weren't being feeble, sorry." The others who had laughed with him and teased her nodded, I nod too.

"I should have paid attention when you were trying to tell us," I whisper, Ash nods as well.

Holly smiles faintly, "I should have stopped, I was to proud – and you lot should stop talking to me like I'm dead before I have to hurt one of you," I open my mouth to say something and if I hadn't known it I wouldn't have realised she was hurt from the way she was talking when she cuts me off, "Don't say it if you like your face the shape it is."

She sounded fine but we all feel it when, a few seconds later, on the floor of the L.E.P cafeteria and because of a stupid dare, Holly Short died.


End file.
